It’s easy to understand why the New York Jets would keep one eye on the quarterback market, especially with the franchise still searching for the kind of long-term answer that never seems to arrive.
That’s why J.J. McCarthy’s name keeps surfacing.
The Minnesota Vikings quarterback is only 23, has two guaranteed years of team control left, and also comes with a fifth-year option for 2028. In a league that never stops circling young passers, that’s enough to get the rumor mill moving before training camp.
But if the Jets are asking whether they should trade for McCarthy, the answer is no.
There’s some appeal here. McCarthy’s rushing ability fits the kind of modern offense teams keep trying to build, and it’s not hard to picture him in the right system. A coach like former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, now with the Browns, would be the sort of fit that makes the idea at least interesting on paper.
Still, the concerns are hard to ignore. McCarthy missed all of 2024 with a torn meniscus in his right knee, and his college career was interrupted by a sprained ankle, a concussion, and a hairline fracture in his throwing hand.
He finished with just 10 starts, and the production didn’t exactly quiet the doubts: 57.6% completions, 1,632 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, plus four rushing touchdowns on 4.9 yards per carry. The six fumbles stand out just as much as anything else.
Then there’s the way he handled questions earlier this offseason, when he came off as dismissive after being asked about sharing a quarterback room with Kyler Murray. For any team considering him, that matters. You’d be betting on a dual-threat quarterback with injury baggage who may not love competition.
Jaxson Dart at least flashed enough while healthy, though doctors evaluated him for concussions at least five times last year. But Dart isn’t the one on the table here. McCarthy is.
And if the Jets are looking ahead to 2027, there are other possibilities that could make more sense. Arch Manning and Dante Moore are not guaranteed to be stars, but neither is McCarthy.
Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson are the kind of names that can’t be ruled out entirely in a trade conversation, and New York would have the draft capital to make a real pitch. Even fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik could end up forcing his way into the picture if he pops this season.
McCarthy has youth on his side. That’s the strongest argument for him. It still isn’t enough for the Jets.
Give us the Cade Klubnik Hype Train over whatever “Nine” brings to the table.
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Jets Fans Won't Agree On This Latest Quarterback Trade Idea
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For New York, the appeal is obvious: a recent third-round pick with some NFL starts already on his rsum, and a chance to add another arm without paying full starter price. But the fit is trickier than the headline suggests, because the Jets are still trying to solve a much bigger problem than simply adding another name to the depth chart, which is why any move here would have to come at a very low cost to make sense. [Read more 🡒]